Counseling, Expressive Therapies, Play Therapy & Sandplay for Healing, Insight and Self-Expression

These therapies are good for children, adolescents, and adults who are currently facing challenging life situations, would like to heal from past trauma, making major decisions, going through life transitions, or just interested in enhancing and deepening one's self-understanding.

Sessions usually last 1 hour for children, and sometimes extend to 1 hour 15 minutes for adolescents and adults.

Sessions are held in Palm Village, Makati, Metro Manila.  Please email or call for details.

For more information email peachyfernando@yahoo.com or text 0917-8553305.

----------

The usual steps in seeking resolution to a child's/teen's problems are:

1. The psychologist sees the Child and Parent for an initial session.
2. This initial session is to listen to the parent's concerns, and to make an initial assessment about the child.
3. At the end of the session, I tell the parent if  play/creative therapies with me would be helpful for the child.  Or, i might refer you to another professional.  This initial session takes about 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours.  The fee for this initial session is P1,200.
4. Regular therapy sessions last about 1 hour for children. The fee for a regular session is P800.
5. If you have difficulty with payment, please let me know about your difficulty.

• For those who live outside Manila, if weekly/twice monthly sessions are not feasible, we sometimes arrange intensive one-week play therapy workshops, in the summer. 

Psychological Assessment may be carried out when a child is undergoing emotional and/or behavioral difficulties, and the parents or other concerned adults (e.g. the school) would like more information on the child's inner world and emotional/psychological functioning.  This assessment, since it takes an in-depth view of the child, is very helpful in understanding the child and providing the best support for his/her growth and healing.  The fee for a psychological assessment without a written report is P4,000.  This includes one or two assessment sessions with the child, and a feedback session with the concerned adult/s, where the child's emotional/psychological function is explained and recommendations made.  The fee for a psychological assessment with a written report is P7,000.

1. The psychologist (that's me) has a talk with you to discuss your concerns, circumstances, history, etc.
2. Usually, the first (or first few, depending on the problem) session/s i spend with you is for Assessment.  We would talk, or go through certain activities, that would help me to understand you, and your problem, better. 
3. At the end of the session (or two sessions, if assessment takes longer), i would be better able to tell you if sandplay/creative therapies/ counselling with me would be helpful to you.  Or i might refer you to another professional.
4. Sessions are usually done once a week or every other week, for several months.  (or longer, depending on the problem).
5. Sessions usually last 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.  The fee for the first session is P1,000.  The fee for succeeding regular sessions is P800.
6. If you have difficulty with payment, please let me know about your difficulty.
7. For those who live outside Manila, if weekly sessions are not feasible, we sometimes arrange one-week creative therapy/ journaling workshops, in the summer. 

About the therapist: 

Priscilla (Peachy) Gonzalez-Fernando has an AB (major in Psychology, minor in Family Life and Child Development), from U.P Diliman, and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the Ateneo de Manila.  She has had 15 years of training and experience in play therapy and the use of creative expression for healing, and, in 2006, also trained in sandplay therapy*.  In her work today she uses play, sandplay, creative expression, and journaling to help clients achieve clarity, enhanced self-awareness, self-expression and healing.  Her specialty is children, adolescents, and young adults who are going through life changes or transitions, or who have emotional or behavioral problems, including sadness, grief, depression, anger, anxiety or confusion.  She also sees children and adults who are seeking to heal from experiences of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.  Key findings from her masteral thesis are featured in her article “Pagkatao, Pagkababae, at Seksuwalidad (Self-Concept, Womanhood, and Sexuality):  A Phenomenological Study of the Inner World of the Girl Child Prostitute,” which is included in the book “Children in Pain: studies on children who are abused, and are living in poverty, prison and prostitution” (MLA Carandang, ed.).  Ms. Fernando is a member and Certified Specialist in Clinical Psychology** of the Psychological Association of the Philippines, as well as a Member of the Board of the Philippine Association for Child and Play Therapy.

___________